Garment.



H. G. JOHNSON.

GARMBNT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. z5, 1909,

973,200. Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

2 SHEETB*SHBET 1.

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H. G. JOHNSON.

GARMBNT.

APPLIUATION FILED .$111,125. 1909.

Patented 0013. 18, 1910.

2 SHEETSSHBBT 2.

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HORACE G. JOHNSON, OF KENOSI-IA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HENRY S. COOPER, OF KENOSI-IA, WISCONSIN.

GARMEN T.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HORACE Gr. JOHNSON, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Kenosha, in the county of Keno sha and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Garments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of underwear known as union suits, and has for its chief object to provide an improved construction of such garments permitting the use of a permanently7 closed crotch and dispensing with the use of double flaps or a single, Wide drop-fall or flap, with their numerous fastenings, heretofore used to cover the posterior opening, while at the same time presenting a posterior opening of ample dimensions for its required purpose covered by a single flap capable of being secured by a Single button or other fastening. In other words, my present invention is designed to supply a garment combining in its construction the two most essential requisites for comfort and convenience in garments of this character, namely, a permanently closed crotch, and a posterior opening of ample dimensions and convenient location that will not gap to expose the person and closed by a single flap requiring but a single button or equivalent fastening.

y invention, and its manner of construction and use, will be readily understood when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating one prac tical form thereof, and in which* Figures 1 and 2 are, respectively, front and rear full length elevations of my improved garment, the latter being shown substantially as it would appear on the human ligure. Fig. 3 is a detail illustrating the preferred manner of cutting the body and leg portions of the garment to form the posterior opening, preliminary to the application thereto of the flap and gusset-mem bers. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3,'but showing the iap and gusset members applied, the garment as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 appearing wrong side out. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan View in detail of the crotch and adjacent portions of the garment, viewed from the inner side of the latter, as the same would appear were the garment split longitudinally on each side and the front and rear halves of the upper or body portion Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed September 25, 1909.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910. Serial No. 519,569.

spread out in a common plane with the inner sides of the leg portions extending at right angles thereto.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the front, and B the rear or back of the upper or body portion of the garment; and C and D designate the front and rear, respectively, of the leg portions. The front A has a straight Opening extending from the neck E to a point slightly above the crotch, the edges adjacent such opening being suitably finished with -edging or binding and adapted to be separably united by buttoning over each other, as shown at F, all as usual; said edges being permanently united just above the front end of the crotch as by transverse stitching indicated at G.

he garment herein shown is knit or woven in tubular forni from top to bottom, the legs being formed by splitting the tube centrally from the lower end to the crotch, as shown at H in Fig. 3 and then joining the inner edges of the front and rear leg portions by seams I (Fig.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 3, which shows the tubular blank turned inside out, a part of the rear body and leg portions is cut out on the lines a-JJ, ono, and che; and preferably oblique and transverse cuts a-d and o f are made in the rear body and leg portions opposite the eX- tremities of the excised portion a, o, o, thereby forming a temporary inner flap member K bounded by the lines o-, a-b, -e and @-f. I next form from a separate piece of cloth an external flap L, having the irregular form shown most plainly in Fig. 2, and bounded by the lines g`1., i, -j, j-o, 7c-l, and Z-g. The flap is split vertically for some distance from its lower end forming the edge designated as j-c, and to said edge is stitched the rear edge of a diamondshaped crotch gusset M, best shown in Fig. 5, the front edge of Lsaid gusset being stitched to the front portion just below the lower end of the vertical opening therein, as shown in Fig. l, and the ends or points of said gusset merging into the leg seams I, as shown in Fig. 5. The edge Z-g of the flap L is strongly sewed to the two edges formed by the oblique cut a-d, in the back B, and similarlythe edge -j, of the flap is strongly sewed to the edges formed by the transverse cut e-f, in the diagonally opposed leg portion D; while the longer curved edge c-Z is sewed to the edge c-e. The edges oc/*t and /t-z' of the flap L are free, and the corner or angle formed at the intersection of said edges is adapted to be temporarily secured to the body of the garment to eifect the closure of the posterior opening by buttoning, a single button N sufiicing.

.From the above it will be seen that the described construction provides in the rear of the garment and extending from the line Z-'g in the baclr obliquely down to the line j in one leg below the crotch a posterior opening defined by the line Z -j and guarded by the inner wall member K constituting a part of the body and leg of the garment itself, and the outer wall member comprising the Hap L. In the construction of the garment the formation of the cuts a-cZ and e-f is not indispensable, since the upper and lower ends of the flap L represent-ed by the edges Z-g and -j, may be simply sewed to the body and leg portions of the garment; but the cutting of the garment and the uniting of the severed edges to each other and to the edges of the Hap makes a much stronger construction, and one less liable to rip or tear. The interposition of the diamond-shaped crotch insert M is not indispensable, since the lower edge of the main-flap L might be attached coincidently with the upper endsof the leg seams meeting at the point of the crotch. The use of the crotch insert is, however, referred, for the reason that it not only aords greater fullness and freedom at the crotch, butalso affords greater fullness to the main Hap L, effecting a freer gaping of the posterior opening when required.

From the above it will be seen that my invention provides a garment having a permanent-ly closed crotch and a posterior opening extending from a point near the waistline to a point below the crotch in one leg only. By carrying this opening obliquely from a point substantially in the waist line down to a point on the inner side of the leg below the crotch, I provide a construction afording an opening of ample dimensions and not requiring twisting or lateral displacement of the intermediate portion of the garment when in service. This opening is covered and .'I'liilly protected by the single stitched-in flap L, requiring te be buttoned at but a single point to effect a perfect closure. It will be noted that the external flap L completely overlaps the free edge of the under-lying section K, providing a seat coveril'ig of double thickness to the extent of such overlapping portion; the section K in cooperation with the Hap L thus eltectually preventing any gaping of the garment er exposure of the persen when the main flap is buttoned.

I claim:

l. An under-garment having' a perinanently closed crotch and a posterior opening extending from a point near the waist-'line to a point below the crotch in one leg only, substantially as described.

2. An uinlcrgarinent having a perinanently closed crotch and a posterior opening extending from substantially the waist-line at one side of the center to a point in the opposite leg belon7 the crotch, the inner wall of said opening being formed by part of the body and leg portions of the garment and the outer wall being formed by a sewed-in Hap having a free portion adapted to button over and close said opening on its outer Aside, substantially as described.

3. An undergarinent having the body and leg portions thereof cut to form an oblique posterior opening extending from substantially the waist-line across the seat to a point in the opposite leg below the crotch and an inner Hap coextensive with said opening, and an outer flap, said inner and outer flaps and body portion being sewed together at the top of t-he posterior opening and said inner and outer' flaps and leg portion being sewed together at the bottom of said posterior opening and said outer Hap having a free portion adapted to button over and close said opening on its outer side, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invent-ion, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

HORACE G. JOHNSON.

lit-nesses HENRY S. Ooorlnz, M. C. REI-1M. 

